The Impact of Online Entertainment on Our Traditional Social Activities

In the days before the internet, residents of Shrewsbury or any other town in the country would have to make a special journey to take part in social activities. A typical weekend would feature a trip to the cinema, bowling alley, video arcade, amusement park or recreation area. Children would entertain themselves simply by playing outside all day while young adults might spend their nights at a disco, bingo hall or casino. In those days, home entertainment was limited to watching TV or maybe playing games on one of the early generations of games consoles.

The rise of home entertainment

In fact, video consoles and video players gave an early glimpse of how popular social entertainment activities would gradually enter our homes. Instead of heading to the local arcades, children could now play their favourites games at home and top movies were available to rent or buy for home viewing - albeit a couple of years after their cinema release.

That was in the eighties and nineties, though. Then, the internet brought more entertainment options such as multi-player gaming, sports betting websites, online casinos and TV and film streaming. On top of this, popular social networks such as MySpace and Facebook, and video channels such as YouTube launched a whole new genre of entertainment. And in the future, virtual reality is set to take home entertainment to a whole new level. The internet has literally changed everything, from the way we shop to the way we work and play.

A fiercely competitive global market

The online entertainment market is so competitive that new brands such as vwin make bold attempts to attract new customers. This can be in the form of advertising, discount subscriptions or generous sign-up offers. Companies that offer quality, choice and attractive bonus offers find a place in the market. Consider, for instance, how casino game brands such as Genesis Casino which is a popular new casino in Canada that offers over 1,300 games stand out from the competition, or even how big hitters such as Netflix offer free trials to draw in new subscribers. Even those relatively uneager to turn to online entertainment are attracted to these try-before-you-commit offers.

Still a place for traditional entertainment

Yet, despite this boom in internet-driven home entertainment, the social scene in Shrewsbury is still going strong, suggesting that there is still a place for traditional entertainment. Filmgoers can visit the independent cinema at the Old Market Hall, head to Cineworld on Old Potts Way for a multiplex experience or enjoy a film in the great outdoors thanks to the Open Air Film & Chill venue on London Road.

There is a thriving bingo hall, climbing centre, bowling alley, axe-throwing venue which was even featured by the BBC (yes, you read that right), trampoline park and video slot casino, proving that, despite the advance of home entertainment technology, people still love to get out of the house to enjoy their social activities. 

Now that the dust has settled following the home entertainment explosion, it seems clear that there is still room for traditional social entertainment. For a generation raised in a connected world, the urge to step away from their devices and interact on a human level remains as strong as ever.